David Bowie - The Next Day

 

 Why!? WHY DO I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!?!?

It’s time for another one of my favorite posts to do for this blog, reader recommendations! As I was working on my review for Justin Timberlake’s new album, a reader messaged me about doing David Bowie’s new album, The Next Day. I immediately took the challenge as I had never listened to a Bowie album before. I know that might sound like a travesty to some of you, but I don’t really know anyone who is a Bowie fan, so no one ever really told me to listen to him. After listening to The Next Day though, I’ve been blown away. Honestly, this review has taken a long time because I didn’t really know how to take this album at first. It was so weird, so crazy, so different, but when I was listening to it, I couldn’t turn it off! Anytime I just listen to one song off the album, I won’t stop because the next song will kick in and get me addicted before I can hit the next button on iTunes.

This review is tough because to be honest, I can’t exactly pinpoint what I love about this album, but I do! Is it the lyricism? Well, Bowie’s lyrics are some of the weirdest I have ever heard this year. One song can be totally dark and retrospective like “Where Are We Now”, while the next one could be upbeat and fun like “The Stars (Are Out Tonight)”. The album is such a strong form of self expression from Bowie that I’m so damn tempted to look a lot at his older work to see how crazy he was when he was younger!

OK so it might be the lyricism that makes me like the album! What about the musicianship? I think that might be the key here folks. The musicianship is fantastic throughout the whole album in helping Bowie create the specific mood he wants each song to convey. If a song is going to be sad, or mellow, the musicianship is toned down. If the song is upbeat, or the lyricism is poignant, he is going to make damn sure the instruments are all loud and effective. I guess it also hit a nostalgia note for me as a song like “How Does The Grass Grow” reminded me of the type of music my parents would listen to when we went on long car trips as a kid. It makes me want to ask my parents if they ever put on David Bowie on those long car trips and I just didn’t know it back then.

The final verdict:  OK, so in conclusion, I do like The Next Day for the lyricism and musicianship like many albums, but this one was a little tougher to describe why. The lyricism is all over the place, but effective. The musicianship accompanies the lyricism in its weirdness and effectiveness into crafting an album that is so damn hard to turn off once you start it. Apparently this is Bowie’s 24 album, and the first he’s done in 8 years. So I guess the two things to say right now are that Bowie has made a triumphant rock comeback, and I got a s&%t load of new music to look at from this rock legend.

FINAL GRADE:  A

CHOICE CUT:  “How Does The Grass Grow”

(Unfortunately there is no link on Youtube for this song :( )

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